Critical Thinking Applications

"Conversational Agents as Catalysts for Critical Thinking" Now this is good use of LLMs. A conversational AI acting as a devil’s advocate can improve group decision-making by subtly reshaping social dynamics, challenging dominant opinions and enabling more inclusive perspectives. There is great potential in AI "nudging" more useful human group collaboration, in everything from student work through board discussions. There has been some interesting work and research in the space, but it is limited and there needs be more. This research study (link in comments) showed: 🧠 AI enhances decision quality and process satisfaction. The AI-generated counterarguments led to significant improvements in how participants rated the decision-making process (5.10 to 5.55) and outcomes (5.31 to 5.89) on a 7-point scale. These gains came without significantly increasing cognitive workload, suggesting AI can enrich discussions without overburdening participants. 😊 Juniors felt more heard, seniors stayed satisfied. Junior (minority) members saw the biggest boost: process satisfaction rose by 0.76 and outcome satisfaction by 0.88. Meanwhile, senior (majority) members maintained high satisfaction across both conditions, indicating the AI helped juniors speak up without alienating others. 🙅♂️ AI reduced pressure to conform. The system’s devil’s advocate role legitimized dissent, encouraging minority opinions and mitigating groupthink. Juniors reported feeling “less isolated,” with the AI helping to shift group norms toward more inclusive deliberation. 🛠️ Success depends on timing, tone, and adaptability. The system worked best when its counterarguments were well-timed, empathetic, and contextually aware. Its greatest impact was not in changing decisions, but in enabling more open, balanced, and confident dialogue—especially from those with less power in the room.

GenAI won't kill critical thinking. Comfortable leaders will. AMLE 's "Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative AI," a 2025 systematic review, and Microsoft's survey all point to the same tension ➤ AI can sharpen your thinking—or slowly dull it. Here are 9 ways to stay sharp: 1️⃣ "Treat AI as a first draft, never a final say"  ↳ GenAI's confident tone tricks your brain into skipping evaluation. ✅ Act on it: Ban "copy–paste" from AI into decision-critical docs. Require one human edit plus rationale before anything AI-generated moves upward. 2️⃣ "Ask AI to argue against itself"  ↳ Questioning and comparison strengthen critical thinking. ✅ Act on it: Always follow one answer with: "Now, give me the strongest counterargument." Share that practice with your team as a standard operating rule. 3️⃣ "Separate speed from wisdom"  ↳ Fast answers feel good; wise answers feel uncomfortable first. ✅ Act on it: For decisions that feel "too easy" after AI, pause and ask: "What are we not seeing?" Use AI to surface opposing viewpoints and edge cases—not just best practices. 4️⃣ "Build 'social critical thinking,' not just solo analysis"  ↳ Challenge assumptions together. ✅ Act on it: In key meetings, assign one person "AI skeptic" and another "AI translator." End with: "What assumptions are we accepting because AI made them sound reasonable?" 5️⃣ "Use AI to find blind spots, not excuses"  ↳ Confidence in AI can reduce scrutiny; leaders can reverse that. ✅ Act on it: Ask, "Whose perspective is missing?" and use AI to simulate that viewpoint. Include ethical, cultural, or stakeholder perspectives as separate prompts. 6️⃣ "Turn AI mistakes into a leadership curriculum"  ↳ Reflective use of AI strengthens thinking. ✅ Act on it: Collect "AI near-miss" stories and discuss them in leadership meetings. Ask: "What almost went wrong? What saved us? What changes next time?" 7️⃣ "Make your own thinking visible"  ↳ Leadership thinking is contagious. ✅ Act on it: Narrate your process: "Here's what AI suggested. Here's how I challenged it. Here's the decision." Encourage your direct reports to model the same. 8️⃣ "Audit where you've gone on AI autopilot"  ↳ Over-reliance creeps in quietly. ✅ Act on it: List 3 areas where you now "trust" AI outputs without checking. For each, design one review step that reintroduces human judgment. 9️⃣ "Upgrade your questions, not just your tools"  ↳ Tools are only as powerful as the questions behind them. ✅ Act on it: Replace "What should we do?" with "Given A, B, C constraints, what are 3 non-obvious options?" Evaluate question quality in team retros, not just answer quality. The question to keep asking: "Is AI helping me think better—or just faster?" Your leadership edge depends on the difference. Coaching can help; let's chat. ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Joshua Miller for more tips on coaching, AI-era leadership, career + mindset. ⸻ #ai #leadership #executivecoaching #careeradvice #manager #mindset

One skill that can significantly advance your career is understanding the difference between perception and perspective. Perception is your personal view of a situation, shaped by your experiences, knowledge, and desires. It's limited. It doesn't give you any advantage. Perspective, on the other hand, involves understanding the views of others involved in the situation. Let me illustrate with an example at work. My Perception: "I worked hard, I worked late. I consistently delivered high-quality work on time. I deserve a promotion." My Manager's Perspective: "I can only promote one person this year. I need to choose someone my boss will approve of, someone I trust with sensitive and urgent tasks, and someone who collaborates well with other teams. I recently had a baby, so I value the the person who helped with the administrative tasks during my absence." I was not promoted. If I had understood my manager's perspective, I would have done the following: - Get some face time with the big boss. - Earn my manager's trust by showing her my loyalty. - Buy snacks for the other teams to build rapport. - Assist my manager with administrative tasks, even if they are outside my KPls. How can we develop perspectives? 1. Understand the life stages and priorities of the people we work with. Single people are more likely to accept your invitation to networking drinks whereas married people with young kids want to go home early. 2. Interact with people who are different from you, e.g., if you're young, engage with those 10-20 years older. If you're experienced, guide young professionals. 3. Develop selling skills. Good salespeople always try to understand potential buyers' perspectives. When you gain perspectives, you have an immediate advantage because most people are stuck with their own perception. (Of course, the above is my own perception😃, what is yours?) #66smallactions

Most people think travel is about the destination, the event, the conference, the keynote. But the real ROI is in the cultural shift. It’s in sitting across from someone who solves the same problem a totally different way. In seeing how another market moves, communicates, trades, and builds. In learning to read the room when the room doesn’t speak your language. Travel sharpens perspective. It builds cross-border empathy. It teaches you how to lead with curiosity, not just certainty. Every trip is a chance to become more globally fluent in business and in mindset. Not just miles. Meaning.

“I’ll have to work until I’m 60.” She said it with a sigh. Just a few years ago, her goal was to retire at 55. What changed? At age 42, she welcomed her son. Life’s greatest joy had also reshaped her financial future. During our meeting, she shared her concern:- “I have to say, it’s not encouraging at all. I wanted to retire at 55, but looking at my situation now, I think I’ll need to extend it to 60.” Her words carried both hope and worried. Like countless others, her priorities shifted as life unfolded in beautiful, unexpected ways. This wasn’t a failure of planning. It was a successful adaptation to life. Her plan needed to evolve, just as her life had. Having a child later brought immense joy, but also new financial layers:- childcare, education, and her own retirement. All unfolding within a tighter timeline. We identified three core challenges:- 📌 Shortened Savings Window – Only 13 years until her original retirement age, with savings not yet where they needed to be. 📌 Increased Financial Commitments – Funds once aimed at retirement were now lovingly redirected to her son. 📌 Extended Dependency Period – At 55, her son would only be 13. Her retirement would need to support them both. Retirement planning isn’t about sticking rigidly to one path. It’s about adapting to life’s changes with clarity and courage. Together, we built a new map forward: ↳The Power of Five More Years Extending her retirement target to 60 became her most powerful lever. As adding years of savings and compounding, while shortening the portfolio's required lifespan. ↳ Intentional Spending vs. Mindful Cutting We audited her cash flow not just to cut back, but to redirect. Every ringgit moved was a conscious choice funding either her son's future or her own. ↳Turbocharging Retirement Savings We maximized her EPF voluntary contributions and aligned her investment strategy to make the next 13 years work harder than the past 20 could have. ↳ Building a Separate “Future Fund” A dedicated education fund for her son was created. This critical step protects her retirement nest egg from becoming a college fund later. Life doesn’t always go as planned, and that’s okay. What matters is recognizing where you are and taking intentional steps forward. Her story isn't unique, but her response is commendable. She chose adaptation over anxiety, and action over avoidance. What about you? When was the last time your financial plan had a heart-to-heart with your life? If it's been a while or if life has thrown you a beautiful curveball, let that be your prompt. Revisit your plan. Adjust the timeline. Redefine the goals. Because the best retirement plan isn't the one written in stone. It's the one that grows and changes with you.

Misunderstandings happen more often than they should. Why? Because we often forget a key principle in communication: UNDERSTAND OTHERS BEFORE SEEKING TO BE UNDERSTOOD. This simple change can transform our interactions, leading to stronger relationships, better collaboration, and the ability to tap into diverse perspectives. When we feel truly heard and understood at work, we're more likely to do our best and share our unique insights. If this idea is so important, why don’t we use it more often? Here are a few reasons: (a) Time Pressure: In an environment where our calendars look like heavily-stacked pancakes, we're focused on meeting deadlines and getting results. This urgency can lead us to make quick decisions instead of taking the time to listen and understand. (b) Ego and Self-Interest: We often prioritize our own opinions, driven by the need to prove our competence or authority. This focus on advancing our own agendas can make us overlook the value of understanding others. (c) Lack of Awareness or Skills: Many people aren't aware of their listening habits or how their communication style impacts others. Plus, active listening and empathy are skills that require practice and intention. (d) Emotional Barriers: Stress, anxiety, or frustration can create barriers to understanding. When overwhelmed by these emotions, it can be hard to empathize with others or listen effectively. (e) Cognitive Biases: Biases like confirmation bias can prevent us from considering other viewpoints objectively, making understanding difficult. Here's the good news! We can overcome these barriers and build better habits. Here are three tips to do just that: 1.    Practice Active Listening: Truly listen to others without thinking about your response. Focus on what is being said, ask questions, and reflect on the information to gain deeper insights. 2.    Ask Questions to Understand: Instead of assuming you know what others are thinking, ask open-ended questions to invite them to share their thoughts and feelings. This encourages a deeper understanding of their perspectives and builds trust. 3.    Encourage Open Dialogue: Create spaces where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Be vulnerable. Encourage diverse perspectives and value each person's contribution. By seeking to understand first, we strengthen collaboration and ensure everyone feels valued and motivated to do their best. #understanding #relationships #collaboration #energy #humanbehavior #workplace #leadership #teamwork #skills #listening #empathy #dialogue

I had a great conversation this week with a 50-year-old prospect who asked a simple but important question: 👉 “If I retire at 62, how much income can I expect each month?” The answer isn’t a guess — it’s a process. Here’s how we walked through it together: 1️⃣ Start with what you have saved today. His total investments formed the foundation of the conversation. 2️⃣ Look at ongoing contributions. How much is being added each year — and are we maximizing employer matches? 3️⃣ Apply a reasonable rate of return. Nothing extreme. Just disciplined, long-term assumptions based on history and risk tolerance. 4️⃣ Determine a sustainable distribution rate. What percentage can we safely withdraw each year without jeopardizing long-term security? 5️⃣ Convert that to a monthly income number. Because people don’t live life in annual increments — they live it month to month. 6️⃣ Convert future dollars back into today’s dollars. Inflation is real. A $12K/mo lifestyle in the future may only feel like $8K/mo today. 7️⃣ Discuss asset allocation as retirement approaches. The mix of growth and safety becomes increasingly important as the retirement date nears. 8️⃣ Highlight the role of fixed income. Stability, predictability, and downside protection matter — especially when you’re drawing from your portfolio. These conversations are my favorite because they take a big, overwhelming question and break it into something clear, logical, and actionable. If you're wondering what your retirement income picture looks like — whether you're 45, 50, or 60 — I’m always happy to run the numbers. Because clarity creates confidence.

If there's one piece of advice I'd give to a student, it's this: pack your bags and get out of your hometown! "Ghar ki murgi dal barabar" isn't just a saying—it's a mindset that limits your growth. Leaving Calcutta, I shed the label of someone's daughter or a product of family expectations. ~ Bangalore, during my college years, taught me survival. ~ Mumbai, with my first venture, revealed the true value of building relationships ~ Working at Dubai, New York, Boston, San Francisco, showed me a global perspective, and how there are more than one right ways to approach a problem These experiences have shaped me into a leader who understands and values diversity. Leading 1000+ people over the years, from different backgrounds and cultures requires empathy, adaptability, and the ability to see through various lenses. I would not have developed any of this if I had never pushed myself to get out of my room. Things you learn when you move to new places: 1/ Developing adaptability: Every new city throws curveballs. You learn to hit them out of the park. 2/ Broadening your worldview: You'll meet people who couldn't care less about your "Sharma ji ka beta" status. They'll challenge you, push you, and blow your mind with new ideas. 3/ Building resilience: Overcoming homesickness and cultural barriers strengthens your problem-solving skills. 4/ Enhancing communication: Interacting with people from different backgrounds hones your ability to connect across cultures. To grow in your career, push for that chance to spread your wings. Your comfort zone might feel safe, but true growth—and leadership skills—are forged in new experiences.

I've been reflecting on something fundamental: the mythology of perfection that permeates our profession. Three uncomfortable truths I've confronted in my practice: 1.    Legal brilliance isn't about perfection. It is about judgment under constraints. The greatest lawyers I've known weren't people who made zero mistakes, but people who recognized which imperfections mattered and which didn't. 2.    The lawyer value proposition is multidimensional. When a client praises exceptional legal work, they're rarely evaluating it on technical accuracy alone, but on how it navigated competing pressures within their specific context to achieve a desired outcome. 3.    The most powerful advances in our field have come not from isolation but from integration. By integration, I am referring to bringing together perspectives, approaches, and knowledge systems that challenge our default thinking. What troubles me is how our professional culture celebrates a form of perfectionism that doesn't reflect the reality of excellent legal work. Our mentorship often fails to communicate that mastery comes from navigating complexity, not eliminating it. Maybe it's time we revised our professional narrative. What if we stopped pretending that impeccable legal work means error-free work, and instead acknowledged that it means thoughtful, context-aware navigation of inevitable limitations? #legaltech #innovation #law #business #learning

AI won’t save bad analysts. It’ll just make them bad analysts faster. In this age of data and AI, too many people think AI can do all the heavy lifting. But here’s the reality: it’s not enough to just throw data into at an AI and expect brilliance. The magic happens when you — the analyst — bring curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking to the process. I witness this in my "Automation and AI in Marketing" course with my students. We do an exercise that has them utilize AI tools to analyze retail data. Those who excel are the ones who go beyond relying solely on the AI. They establish their own performance metrics, index the data appropriately, and gain meaningful insights. The ones who struggle? They rely on the AI to simply provide them with answers without putting in any effort themselves. AI will make you faster — but it won’t make you smarter. If you want to unlock the true potential of data, you need to ask the right questions and interpret the results critically. Ultimately, AI is simply a tool. You are the analyst. And your human skills still matter — more than ever. Art+Science Analytics Institute| University of Notre Dame| University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign| University of Chicago| D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University| ELVTR| Grow with Google - Data Analytics #Analytics #DataStorytelling